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Opened 31st Jan 2008 on site of Antonio's which closed earlier in the same month |
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| Address |
105-106 Three Shires Oak Road, Bearwood Birmingham
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| Postcode |
B67 5BT Map |
| Tel |
0121 420 3301 |
| Website |
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| Cards |
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| Facilities |
LICENSED, LICENSED |
Full Restaurant Listing |
| An expansive 769 words from retromodernist on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
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| Food: |
Value |
Service: |
Decor: |
Rating: |
Cost/head: |
Suits: |
| 2/10 |
: 2/10 |
1/10 |
4/10 |
20 % |
£30 |
not specified |
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A week of early starts and late finishes seems to have knocked the sails out of us this week, so rather than cook, D and me, and F makes three, trekked over the Hagley Road to our second nearest Italian. Normally we'd head to Buonissimo, and it says a lot for our weariness that it never occured to us to go there this time.
I realise that in professing my tiredness, that you might well conclude that my opinion of my meal at Bella Luna is to be taken with a pinch of salt. However so unremittingly greasy, so sloppy and so confused was my meal, that the nuances and subtleties that are currently beyond my frazzled synapses really don't come into it. My dinner at Bella Luna was awful.
For a starter I had a Insalate Di Pesce Spada, supposedly a salad with grilled tuna, drizzled with orange and red vinaigrette. What I got was a pile of assorted leaves, over which had been poured chopped tuna in a lukewarm tomato sauce, a creamy basil dressing, and (presumably) the advertised vinegarette. It was calamitous, and tasted little better. I had asked for no dressing; to receive a dish served with three was comical.
At the time I regretted not sending the dish back, but service was of the sort I dread the most; overly pally and attentive, without actually being any good. I didn’t want a free bottle of still water, or endless questions about where we’d heard about them. I just wanted the dish I ordered, the way I ordered it, and I wanted it to be nice.
My main course, remarkably, was even worse. Panfried seabass with mussels was served with cockles, which I’d been advised would be the case. They had no mussels, apparently, though a dish for another table arrived later, adorned with mussels. The sea bass had been fried meat side up only, resulting in a crusty, dried seabass with a floppy, wet skin. The cockles were still frozen in the middle. I sent the dish back, and was asked, three times, what I’d like to eat instead. I asked, three times, for the same as my fellow diners, and instead got a vague approximation of my original dish, swimming in oil, served with said cockles on the side. The tomato sauce that the cockles were bobbing in tasted bought in, which if it were is unacceptable. If it was cooked fresh, then it speaks volumes of the calibre of the kitchen staff when they manage to cock up a tomato sauce.
We were offered repeatedly, a free drink. I’d had enough. I just wanted to pay and leave. We declined, repeatedly, the free drink, and fended off the repeated apologies. I really do appreciate the waiter’s contrition, but why serve such dreadful, fussy food in the first place? Rather than ply us with free booze, why not just bring what I actually ordered? Bella Luna, on this occasion, was disastrously bad, and I very much doubt I’d ever give them another chance.
EDIT
In reponse to Dino's reply, can I point out that
(a) the menu for the dish I ordered, as can be seen online, clearly states the dish contains tuna. It also omits to mention the tomato sauce and the creamy basil sauce. Either way I would imagine anyone would find it difficult to tell the difference between tuna and swordfish when it is chopped into tiny morsels and served swimming in three sauces.
(b) whether a dish is a starter or a side is neither here nor there. It was a dreadful plate of food.
(c) I did not by any means finish what I ordered. One was sent back, and with the other two I left the decimated salads, the congealed sauces and the floppy fish skin.
(d) when you offered me a replacement dish, I told you, three times, that I wanted the same as my friends. Just like I told you I wanted my starter without dressing. You need to listen to what your customers tell you.
(e) We did not pay in full. We paid for our food and not for ou drinks. I wouldn't have left a tip either, since the service was so lacking, However I was outvoted.
(f) Banning people who tell you they'll never eat in your restaurant again only serves to make you look like an ogre. You've only damaged your own business by putting off potential customers. See the fora for an example.
(g) your aggressive stance towards me confirms to me that my mark for service was too generous. So I've amended it.
If you are the restaurant owner, we now offer the RIGHT TO REPLY
(see below):
RIGHT TO REPLY
Received from Dino - Bella Luna. Posted Saturday, August 16, 2008
Dear Retromodernist,
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to write a customer review for my restaurant Bella Luna. May I suggest that, by your own definition, you may not have been in the best frame of mind to enjoy an evening at any restaurant. I arrive at this conclusion not only from your review, but also from your attitude on the evening in question.
You stated that "For a starter I had Insalate Di Pesce Spada". This is in fact a side order and not a starter. Furthermore, the side order consists of swordfish and not tuna as you suggest. The menu clearly states both that this is a side order and that it includes swordfish - but perhaps your confused state of mind clouded your judgement. In fact, tuna does not exist anywhere on our menu and if your pallet cannot determine the difference between swordfish and tuna - maybe you will be better off eating at one of your favourite restaurants in the future. One thing I would have appreciated was that if you are going to take the time and effort to write a review on my restaurant, please take the time to understand exactly what you have ordered and eaten.
This obviously throws the rest of your review into question but some other aspects that really confuse me are:
You finished every morsel of food on your plate - as did your friends.
You paid for your meals in full without even a suggestion of non-payment - which I would expect judging by your review.
When asked if you would like to change the dish - you replied that you wanted the same dish, that is why you were served "a vague approximation" of your original order.
You completed your review by stating "I very much doubt I'd ever give them another chance." - may I suggest sir, without wishing to offend, there is no "doubt" at all that you will not be allowed another chance at Bella Luna.
Yours Sincerely,
Dino
Owner ("Waiter") |
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| REVIEWS
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| RETROMODERNIST |
| REVIEWS |
| No.of reviews: |
27 |
| Average Rating: |
60.67% |
| Highest Rating: |
89 % |
| Lowest Rating: |
0 % |
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